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"Debunking the Myths, one great TEQUILA at a time"
Pulque, the sap of the agave was consumed by the native Nahuatl . It is said that lightning struck the agave plant, resulting in a juice or sap with interesting qualities.
These indigenous inhabitants of the region used the fermented juices as a method to reach an altered state of what we call today "buzzed".
It was with the arrival of the Spanish in the 16th century that the process of distillation was introduced. Tequila as a distilled drink was born. It was a blending of two cultures that created Tequila.
The initial batches were known as Tequila wine mezcal. This occurred in the area surrounding the small town of Tequila in what is now the state of Jalisco. This was followed by the colonial age which lasted 300 years during which Tequila played an important economic role.
The independence of Mexico in 1821, provided a tremendous opportunity for the growth of the Tequila industry that was later inhibited by Pofirios Diaz favoring of French wines and European culture.
It was the Mexican Revolution in 1910 which brought a real Tequila boom. The search for a new national identity, the association of tequila with it's revolutionary heroes made it a source of national pride.
Prohibition in the US also aided in the popularity of Tequila, since European shipments of Spirits to the US were banned and smuggling Tequila was relatively simple. Again in WWII, shipments from Europe were halted, benefiting the Tequila industry in the US.
Today, millions of litres of TEQUILA are produced annually. TEQUILA is consumed in over a hundred countries worldwide. It is now an obsession for thousands of aficionados worldwide who have learned to love and appreciate this most captivating and delightful magical spirit .
TEQUILA is an icon and a source of pride for Mexico and its citizens.
Brands produced at Tequilana Agave
Tahona at Tequilana Agave
PINAS READY FOR THE
OVENS, LOS ALTOS
HOW IS
TEQUILA
MADE?
Cultivation and Harvest:
The Agaves are planted and grown to maturation, between 5-10 years. They are not watered, the rain water and climate are all that is needed.. The harvest or 'jima" is done manually with an instrument called a "coa". There is a romantic, sentimental aura that surrounds "jimadors", This traditional method has been handed down from generation to generation. A good "jimador can harvest up to 100 pinas a day.
COOKING :
Cooking converts the carbohydrates into simple sugars for fermentation. The "pinas " soften, making extraction easier. The "pinas" are placed in masonry ovens or steel containers called autoclaves. This process takes 50-72 hours in a masonery oven or between 8-14 hours in an autoclave.
EXTRACTION:
The cooked "pinas" are pressed to obtain their sugars and through the injection of pressurized water, a frementation juice is made, mosto fresco.
FERMENTATION:
The process is initiated when yeast, whether added by the producer or naturally occurring, converts the mosto fresco to mosto muerto. This is the transferring of sugars to alcohol. Each distillery differs in the hours of fermentation, although it is generally 24 to 72 hours.
DISTILLATION:
The fermented juices are distilled in copper or stainless steel pot stills or in continuous distillation towers. TEQUILA is distilled twice and yields a liquid with an alcohol level of around 20%. The second distillation takes 3-4 hours, resulting in a liquid with an alcohol level near 55%.
At this point the substances are divided and only the heart of the process is used for TEQUILA. The result is TEQUILA that will be used as a BLANCO or aged to become another type.
AGING:
Blancos, Silver or Plata is the product of the second distillation. Barrels or casks are used for aged TEQUILAS that include Reposados, Anejos, Extra-Anejos.
Joel Gonzales Baiba, 3 Amigos
Sauza, aging Anejos
"THE APPELLATION OF ORIGIN"
Just like Cognac or Champagne, Tequila is a drink that takes its name from its region of origin, which is the town of TEQUILA, Mexico. It was in 1974 that the Mexican government established the Appellation of Origin Tequila, recognized worldwide.
The Appellation of Origin guarantees the consumer of authenticity. It establishes the following:
1.Tequila must be produced in a specific territory-The entire state of Jalisco, 7 Municipalities in the state of Gunajuato, 8 in the state of Nayarit, 11 in the state of Tamalipas and 30 in the state of Michocan.
2. A Mexican Official Standard (NOM-006-SCFI-2005) states the regulations must be strictly observed by all who produce or bottle TEQUILA.
3. The "Consejo Regulador del Tequila" was created as an independent body to verify and certify every TEQUILA company is in compliance with the NOM. www.crt.org
WHAT IS TEQUILA?
TEQUILA is Mexico's distinctive spirit. We have already established that for a spirit to be called TEQUILA, it must be from Mexico and adhere to the afore mentioned criteria.
TEQUILA is produced from one plant, the Blue Agave Tequilana Weber. There are over 200 varieties of Agave , but only one can produce TEQUILA. The Blue Weber Tequilana is a member of the amarilidacrea (Lily) family. It reproduces itself and bears no fruit. Each of the millions of Blue Weber Agave plants is registered with the CRT.
The heart or Pina is the only part used in the production of TEQUILA. It takes between 5-10 years for a plant to be ready for harvest. At maturity the jimador skillfully cuts away the leaves to reveal the pina which weigh approximately 30-50 kilos . It takes about 7 kilos to make one liter of 100% Agave TEQUILA.
Blue Agave fields
in Los Altos 
Herradura,
observing distillation
Herradura, dedicated producers in masonery ovens stacking Pinas 
